Drier for photographic prints



Feb. 3, 1948. H. w. BEERNINK 2,435,420

DRIER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS Filed May 22, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l D11/*enter man.

Attorneys Ham/dWeernfn/.

By aaa/#away Feb. 3, 1948. H. w. BEERNINK 2,435,420 1DRIER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRAINTS Filed May 22, 1945 2 snee'ts-sheet 2 Inventar @d/away @mm Patented Feb. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRIER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS Harold W. Beernink, Holland, Mich.

Application May 22, 1945, Serial No. 595,177

1 Claim. l

This invention relates to drying photographic prints, and more particularly to an apparatus for extracting moisture from a plurality of prints arranged in a stack in a flattened position so as to overcome their tendency to curl.

A primary object of the invention is rapidly to extract moisture from the prints without causing discoloration as frequently occurs when heat is employed as the drying medium.

Another object is to assure that the air blast which is used for drying the print is heated simultaneously with its creation. The above and other objects may be accomplished by employing my invention which embodies among it features stacking the prints to be dried between alternate layers of blotting paper and corrugated board and directing a heated air blast against and through the stack so that as the air contacts the moisture absorbing board so that the moisture will be readily absorbed therefrom and the prints rapidly dried. Other features embody a motor driven fan adapted to create an air blast, a housing for directing lthe air blast against a stack containing photographic prints to be dried,y a heating element in the passage by which the temperature of the air blast created by the fan may be elevated to a point where it will rapidly absorb moisture from the stack but below a temperature which is likely to cause discoloration of the prints contained in the stack.

Other features embody simultaneously establishing the flow of electrical current through the heating unit with the establishment of the flow of current through the motor and the consequent operation of the fan.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of print drying apparatus embodying my. invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front view in elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on line 4*4 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Referring t0 the drawings in detail, my invention embodies a fan housing designated generally III, which comprises a pair of end walls I I, the upper edges of which are of semi-circular form to support a sheet metal housing I2. Each end wall is formed near its upper end with a substantially semi-circular opening I3, the bottom wall I4 of which is disposed in a horizontal plane'to form a support for a bearing bracket 55 designated generally I5. Each such bearing bracket comprises an angle body I3, the horizontal leg of which lies on the upper face of the wall I4 while the vertical leg lies against the inner side ,of the wall II and is secured thereto by bolts I1. Projecting upwardly intermediate the ends of the body I6 is a bearing I8 for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter described. As illustrated, the bottom edges of the end walls II curve inwardly from their rear sides and join a bottom plate to be more fully hereinafter described.

The bottom plate above referred to comprises a rectangular body I 9 having secured adjacent opposite ends angles 20 the vertical legs of which are attached by screws 2I to the end walls II above referred to. It will thus be seen that a fan housing is produced which is substantially rectangular in plan with the bottom I 9 serving as the bottom wall of this housing. Extending forwardly from the front edge of the body I3 is a tapered projection 22 which like the main body portion I9 carries angles 23 the rear ends of which abut and form substantially continuations of the angles 20 previously mentioned. Secured to the vertical legs of the angles 23 are vertically extending side walls 24 forming a flared chamber which is closed by a cover 25 but is open at its forward end. Carried by the extreme forward end of the walls 24 are angle members 26 the front legs 21 of which are spaced from the extreme forward edges of the Walls 24 to form guides in which a panel 28 is vertically slidable.

Rotatably mounted in the bearings I8 is a shaft 29 between the ends of which is mounted a fan 30 comprising a hollow drum-shaped body having radial fan blades so disposed about its periphery that air is drawn into the interior of the fan through the openings I3 in the end walls and discharged through the open front side of the lower portion of the housing defined by the end walls II and the metal cover I2. One end of the shaft 29 projects beyond its bearing and carries a pulley over which a drive belt 3| is trained. This drive belt also runs over a pulley 32 carried by one end of the drive shaft of an electric motor 33 which is secured as shown to the top or cover 25 of the forward flared chamber defined by the bottom 22, the side walls 24 and the top 25.

Secured to the bottom I9 near its junction with the bottom 22 is an electrical socket 34 carrying a heating unit 35. It is obvious that more than one heating unit may be employed vby multiplying the number of sockets 34 so as the functions may be used. It is important..

however, that the wiring be such that when the switch lever 49 in switch box 36' ismuved`tcron" position, the motor and the electric heating unit 35 should be energized and likewise' whenthe= switch lever is moved to off position, all flowA of current to either of the units shall be discontinued.

In operation the photographs to be dried are stacked between: layers of blotting. paper 'andv corrugatedf board to form au stack S. ont a. support in front'of thedischargefopeningof thedrying unit. In this: position the stack will'be irr the path' of th'eblast of. air. being delivered fromthe drying unitiwhen'themoto'r 33 isiset into'operationand dueto theslight heating: effect produced by the electrical'. heater 35 the` temperature of theA air will7 be. raised' to a. pointY where. it willi readily absorb the moisture contained in the stacks. It is" important that the temperature be held low enough to avoid injury to the photographic prints contained withinA the stack and.r to this end I have found` ifthe temperature of the drying air islraise'd to a temperature-of about' IO`F. above normalroom temperature not only isits drying qualities materially improved but a rapid drying: of the photographic prints can be accomplished without danger of' discoloration.

While in the foregoing there has been shown andi described theA preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit and' scope of the invention as claimed.

I' claim:

Apparatus for drying a stack of sheets which includes a base, a pair of spaced parallel walls rising from the side edges of the base each terminating at its upper end in a semi-circular extension, at least one of the extensions having a substantially semi-circular air inlet opening, a hood attached to the back edges of the side walls and extending upwardly and around the semicircular extensions to form a fan chamber, a shaft rotatably supported on the side Walls and extending transversely therethrough substantially in alignment with the axis of the semicircular extensions, a fan mounted onfthe shaft within the fan chamber, a pair ofk spaced divergent walls at the front edge of the side walls, al top wall joining the uppermost edges of the divergentwallsrtofform a flared discharge nozzle through which an air blast created by the rotation off thefan@ within the fan chamber will be directed outwardly, a motor mounted on the top and having' driving connection with the shaft, anV electrical heating unit adjacent the junction of the fan chamber and the discharge nozzle, an electricalswitchcarried by the fanhousingy and adeptedcoincidentally toy complete a power. circuitthrough themotor andtheheating unit and a panel'. mounted at thef forward ends. ofV the divergent walls to move vertically and. regulate the size ofthe dischargeend of the discharge nozzle.l f

ELAROLDWML. BEERNINK.j

REFERENCES CITED The following references."a1;e.ofA record' inthe le of this patent:

UNJZIEI.f STATES PATENTS Number Name` Date 999,241 Mies Aug. 1, 1911 1,009,881 Allen Nov. 28,1911 1,049,427 Wedmark Jan. '1,l 19'13 1,189,383' Iotter July 4', 1916 1,829,303 Schaber Oct. 27,. 1931 1,846,158 Stickley Feb. 23, 1932 1,961,179 Tinkham June 5, 1934 1,997,387 McCord Apr. 9, 1935 2,011,426 Taylor et; al'. Aug. 13,v 1935 2,026,942 Kelley --.Jan 7, 1936 2,058,457 Hughey O'ct. 27, 1936 2,090,168 Williams Aug. 17, 1937 FOREIGN: PATENTS Number Country Date France Dec. 26,. 1911 

